Nasir Hossain was dropped from the Bangladesh national side’s playing eleven for the first time in any format on Tuesday, ceding his place in the batting line-up to Mominul Haque for the Tigers’ opening Super 10 match at the ICC World Twenty20. The 22-year-old Nasir, who had been widely regarded as one of the country’s finest young talents since his debut in 2011 but had been in a ten-month slump coming into the competition, finally lost his place after playing in every single match in any format since his ODI debut against Zimbabwe on August 14, 2011.
The right-hander’s form had dipped precipitously since the Tigers’ tour of Zimbabwe in April-May last year, when he scored 167 runs in three ODIs and posted two Test fifties. He has not produced an international half-century since that tour, averaging 23.5 in 10 ODIs and 28 in four Tests. His last T20I fifty came against New Zealand in September 2012.
He did not bat in Bangladesh’s first two World T20 matches against Afghanistan and Nepal – both comfortable victories – but faced criticism for his performance during the embarrassing loss to Hong Kong. He scored 14 not out but took a number of singles to expose the tail as the hosts’ batting collapsed.
He also came under fire for his fielding during the Sri Lanka series and the Asia Cup earlier this year after spilling a number of catches in the outfield.
-With New Age input
